Guiding You Through Challenges, Protecting Your Rights.
Guiding You Through Challenges, Protecting Your Rights.
Plantation Divorce Lawyer and Family Law Attorney
Family law cases involve more than legal procedures. They involve your children, your home, your financial future, and your ability to move forward after one of the most difficult transitions a person can face. Larry Schott understands what is at stake, and he works to protect it.
Divorce in Florida
Divorce touches every part of your life at once. Your home, your finances, your children, and your future are all on the table at the same time. Larry Schott guides clients through every stage of the process, from the initial filing through the final judgment, whether the case is fully cooperative or deeply contested.
Florida calls divorce “dissolution of marriage.” The process is governed by Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes and is filed in the county where either spouse resides. In Broward County, cases are filed with the 17th Judicial Circuit Court. The outcome depends heavily on how well each party is represented during negotiations, mediation, and, when necessary, trial.
Larry Schott handles the full range of divorce matters, including equitable distribution of marital assets, alimony, time-sharing and parental responsibility, child support, temporary orders while the case is pending, and enforcement and modification of final judgments.
- Florida Divorce Resource Center: Everything You Need to Know
- Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a Divorce in Broward County
- Contested Divorce in Florida
- Uncontested Divorce in Florida
- How Long Does a Divorce Take in Florida?
- How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Florida?
- Who Pays Attorney Fees in a Florida Divorce?
Property Division and Financial Issues
Florida is an equitable distribution state. Marital assets and debts are divided fairly, though not necessarily equally. The starting point is a 50/50 split, but the specific facts of each marriage, the contributions of each spouse, and the circumstances of the divorce can all affect the final outcome. Larry Schott has extensive experience handling complex property division including high-asset estates, business interests, retirement accounts, and real property.
- How to Divide Marital Assets in Florida During a Divorce
- Marital vs. Non-Marital Property in Florida
- What Happens to the House in a Florida Divorce?
Alimony
Florida’s alimony law changed significantly in 2023 with the elimination of permanent alimony and updated standards for all other forms. Whether you are seeking alimony or working to limit your exposure to a support award, the arguments you make and the financial documentation you present at the outset shape the result. Larry Schott understands the current law and how Broward County courts are applying it.
- Alimony in Florida: Types, Duration, and How Courts Decide
- Modifying Alimony in Florida After the 2023 Law Changes
Children: Time-Sharing, Parenting Plans, and Child Support
When children are involved, every decision in a divorce is evaluated through the lens of the child’s best interests. Florida law requires a court-approved Parenting Plan in every case involving minor children, covering the time-sharing schedule, parental decision-making authority, and how the parents will communicate and cooperate going forward. Since July 2023, Florida courts begin with a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing is in the child’s best interests.
Child support is calculated using the Florida Statute 61.30 income-sharing guidelines. The formula takes into account both parents’ incomes, the time-sharing schedule, health insurance costs, and childcare expenses. Larry Schott helps parents understand what they are entitled to, what they are obligated to pay, and what the process looks like at every stage.
- Florida Child Custody and Time-Sharing
- Parenting Plans in Florida: What Must Be Included
- Florida Child Support: How It Is Calculated and Enforced
- 33 Typical Divorce Issues When You Have Minor Children
- Relocation After Divorce in Florida
Modifications and Enforcement
A final judgment is not always the end. Circumstances change after divorce, and Florida law allows for modification of alimony, child support, and parenting plans when the change is substantial, material, and was not anticipated at the time of the original order. Larry Schott handles post-judgment modifications and enforcement actions, including contempt proceedings when the other party fails to comply with a court order.
Paternity
Establishing paternity in Florida gives a child the legal right to financial support from both parents and gives a father the legal right to seek time-sharing and parental responsibility. Larry Schott handles paternity establishment and paternity-related disputes involving time-sharing, child support, and parental rights for unmarried parents.
Restraining Orders and Domestic Violence Injunctions
When safety is at stake, the law provides tools to protect you and your children. Florida’s domestic violence injunction process can result in immediate relief including a temporary no-contact order, removal of the abuser from the home, and emergency time-sharing protections for children. Larry Schott assists both petitioners seeking protection and respondents who have been served with an injunction and need to understand their rights and options.
Guardianship and Probate
Family law does not end at divorce. Larry Schott also assists Broward County families with guardianship matters when a loved one can no longer make decisions for themselves, and with probate administration when an estate must be settled after a death.
About Larry Schott
Larry Schott has practiced family law in Broward County since 1990. He began his career at a large South Florida law firm, where he developed the litigation skills and procedural knowledge that have served his clients for over three decades. Today he focuses exclusively on family law matters, bringing that same depth of experience to clients who need a skilled and attentive advocate in one of the most personal areas of the law. His office is located at 150 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 383, Plantation, Florida 33324.